When Friendship Followed Me Home

A boy's chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family.

Ben Coffin has never felt like he fits in. A former foster kid, he keeps his head down at school to avoid bullies and spends his afternoons reading sci-fi books at the library. But all that changes when he finds a scruffy abandoned dog named Flip and befriends the librarian's daughter, Halley. For the first time, Ben starts to feel like he belongs in his own life. Then everything changes, and suddenly Ben is more alone than ever.

But with a little help from Halley's magician father, Ben discovers his place in the world and learns to see his own magic through others' eyes.

Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, When Friendship Followed Me Home is a must-read for dog lovers and fans of emotionally resonant middle-grade novels.

Praise for When Friendship Followed Me Home:

'Full of pace and laughter, bruises and heart. Paul Griffin is the sort of writer you're torn between telling the whole world about and keeping all to yourself.' — Marcus Zusak

'An absolutely beautiful, heart-expanding book. I cried, but more than that I felt this giant balloon of love for everyone. This story convinced me all over again that love and imagination are life's biggest magic. It'll make you want to grab hold of everyone important to you and lick them on the nose.' — Rebecca Stead